Jassem, an engineer and technical director for Nineveh TV, a local television
affiliate of the U.S.-backed national Iraq Media Network (IMN), was killed in a
drive-by shooting while traveling to work, according to a friend and colleague.
No group has claimed responsibility for Jassem’s murder and authorities have not
apprehended any suspects, according to the source.
While the motive for the killing remains unclear, employees of IMN and
Nineveh TV have been targeted by insurgents and the offices of Nineveh TV in
Mosul have been hit repeatedly by mortar rounds from insurgents. Jassem’s
colleague believes he was killed because of his affiliation with Nineveh TV,
noting that the murder occurred during a period of increased violence in Mosul
and around the time Nineveh TV was airing programs critical of insurgents in
Iraq.